Impact flash and debris cloud expansion of high-pure metal foils

Abstract

Results of 2 mm aluminum spheres perforating Al, Cu, Mo, Au, Sn, and Zn metal foils of a purity > 99.9 % with thicknesses between 0.1 mm and 2.0 mm, densities of up to 20 g/cm 3, melting temperatures of 500 – 3000 K and specific heats of fusion of 20 – 350 kJ/kg at impact velocities between v p = 4.5 km/s and v p = 9 km/s are presented. The influence of target thickness, target material properties and impact velocity on the perforation hole diameter, impact flash duration and expansion velocity, fragmentation and debris cloud formation at nearly constant areal density is demonstrated. The dependence of impact crater pattern at witness plates on target material density, thickness, impact velocity and areal density ratio between projectile and target material is discussed. For tin and lead evidence is given for the ability of digital scanning electron microscope analysis as an effective tool for indicating change of aggregation from solid into liquid and for the determination of relative projectile and target material quantities.